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European football’s governing body UEFA said it was reviewing security for Wednesday’s Champions League matches and would increase it where necessary, a day after explosions hit the Borussia Dortmund team bus.Tuesday’s match was called off after the blasts, which damaged the vehicle en route to the stadium for the German side’s clash with AS Monaco.UEFA said in a statement there had been no specific intelligence regarding any threat to Wednesday’s matches.They include the rescheduled Dortmund/Monaco game, while Bayern Munich are due to host Real Madrid in Germany with Atletico Madrid at home to Leiceister City in Spain.Four ties in the secondary Europa League competition are due to be played Thursday with matches in Lyon, Amsterdam, Brussels and the Spanish city of Vigo.“UEFA – in co-operation with the police, security services, stadium management and the clubs involved – is reviewing the security arrangements for tonight’s matches and security procedures will be enhanced accordingly wherever needed,” it said.Giorgio Marchetti, UEFA’s competitions director, told Reuters television that it was the first such incident the European football body had to deal with.“And no, we have not received any information regarding this type of attack, prior to the match,” he said at UEFA headquarters.“We have already asked the clubs to review, with the police, their security arrangements and measures to guarantee the safety and security of all those involved today and also tomorrow.”He said that there would be “more body searches” at the Dortmund game.“Backpacks will not be admitted into the stadium, there will be restriction for the car parking and of course, more stewards and more policemen around.”read more

Dear Editor,In another section of the media under the headline, “GOA pledges $1m yearly for BAIRD… NSC to help UG scholarship athletes”, I believe this is Guyana’s downfall with sports development. Why is it that I can’t read a headline that say’s that Guyanese athletes will receive fully pledged financial support from all stake holders, which includes the GOA, AAG, GTU, NSC, GDF, PS, GPF and the Ministry of Education/Sports? I have preached it a million times over that Guyana is not prepared financially to undertake the full cost of the development of athletes to rub shoulders with elite athletes of the globe. Why is the GOA reaching out to the NSC to ‘lend assistance?’ Why is the GOA hoping that the GDF will pitch in to help “BAIRD’ who is employed/works by/for that agency? The 2017 World Championships is slated for London, has Guyana identified which potential athletes they have currently in preparation for this meet? Or is it the usual that at the last minute, we will select persons and expect them to medal? On the other hand I am grateful to witness the financial help pledged to athletes heading off overseas for training/preparation, but I honestly do not foresee myself jumping out my seat with Guyana qualifying for any finals with the locally based athletes anytime soon… triple-jumper and USA based athlete, Troy Doris, is an exception.Yours faithfully,T Pembertonread more

Dear Editor,While the APNU/AFC Government tries to brag that it has achieved a lot in its four-year tenure, its brag lacks credible substance.The APNU/AFC Government seems a bit confused as to why people are not rushing to congratulate them. What is there to congratulate them about? The fact that they are out to enrich themselves (reference: 50 per cent pay rise for doing nothing); the fact that thousands of people have lost their jobs in a country with high unemployment; the fact that they have not produced the evidence about rampant corruption under the PPP/C Government.The list goes on and on but you get the picture.Clearly, the APNU/AFC Government is not comfortable with their performance or they would hold general elections as required by the no-confidence vote. They are afraid to face the electorate.Faithfully,Sean Oriread more

Still, the county’s economic gains haven’t been much consolation for Rosa Garcia, a Glendale hotel housekeeper trying to raise two children on just over $12,000 a year. Paying $750 a month for a one-bedroom apartment and another $150 for utilities, Garcia usually taps out her $1,300 monthly budget buying groceries and just a few other items. “The economy is so bad,” Garcia said. “Everything is so expensive. We don’t make enough to live better.” Jessica Goodheart, research director at Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE), a nonprofit agency that supports low-wage workers in L.A., said the positive economic news can’t obscure the magnitude of L.A.’s poverty. There are 1.5 million county residents – about 703,000 in the city – living under the federal definition of poverty, with more than double that number struggling to pay for the basics, Goodheart said. Los Angeles city and county are showing strong signs of improvement after a wrenching recession early this decade, as poverty has begun to decline and median household incomes are on the rise, according to Census data released Tuesday. Median household income in the county rose 6.3 percent from 2005 – to $51,315 – while the percentage of residents living in poverty dropped from 16.3 percent to 15.4 percent last year. The county improvements mirrored similar gains in the city and statewide. “This is good news,” said Daniel Flaming, president of the Economic Roundtable, a nonprofit, public-policy research organization in Los Angeles. “It seems to suggest this period of slow, steady growth has been good for (people) on the bottom rung.” Last year, the poverty level for a family of four was set at $20,444; for a single mom with two children at $16,242. But Eduardo Martinez, an economist with the nonprofit Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp., noted job creation throughout the Southland has driven some growth. beth.barrett@dailynews.com (818) 713-3731160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set!read more

1 Mesut Ozil in action for Arsenal Arsene Wenger has leapt to the defence of Mesut Ozil following criticism of the midfielder’s work rate.The German midfielder came under-fire after producing a lacklustre display in Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat at Manchester City on Sunday.Ozil has been accused of being lazy, with footage of him walking around the pitch angering fans, and his mentality in big games has been questioned.But Wenger has given his backing to the 28-year-old, labelling him a ‘big player’ and insisting he is committed to the team.“To be absolutely fair I did not hear or listen to all the criticism we got after the game; but we have to accept that and live with that,” said Wenger.“People analyse and have their opinion, it’s normal and we have to respond.“Mesut Ozil is a big player, and the big players always respond to criticism on the pitch.“I don’t give him any leeway when the team doesn’t have possession. He has to do his job like anyone else.“His main strengths are when we have the ball, and he suffers more when we don’t have the ball.“He suffered more at City because we didn’t have enough of the ball. But unfortunately if you want the ball you have to win it back.“He is a guy who works much harder than people think, his body language goes against him at times.“It’s true we do tend to win the ball back high up the pitch, but where we had a deficit at City was winning the ball in the middle of the pitch.”Wenger confirmed Arsenal will train on Christmas Day, admitting that he will be unable to stop thinking about football despite any festivities.“We will practice and that night we go to the hotel to prepare,” said Wenger of Arsenal’s Christmas Day plans.“Like every manager I suffer when we don’t win the game. In your mind you have the next game, and we know it’s a game of big importance, so we cannot simply switch off, it’s impossible.”read more

Sam Allardyce has ruled out becoming Leicester City’s new boss.The ex-England boss is the bookmakers’ favourite to suceed Craig Shakespeare after he was sacked by the Foxes on Tuesday.But Allardyce, a co-host on talkSPORT’s mid-morning show on Wednesday, insists he has no interest right now in returning to club football.The 62-year-old, who stepped down as Crystal Palace boss in May, said: “As big a club it is and as much as I would love to manage Leicester, I don’t think it is time for me.“I’m not ready. Having been in it so long and how I felt at the end of last season, I am enjoying my life too much.“Yes, it would interest me and yes I would take the Leicester job – but not at this time.”While Allardyce would say ‘no’ to Leicester, it could be a different story if the USA come calling.He is being talked about as a potential contender to succeed Bruce Arena, who quit as head coach of the States last week, and a second crack at international management could tempt him back into the dugout.“If I ever go back into football, an international position again might be of interest to me,” he said. “Whether that is the USA, who knows.“If we got to that stage where we there was an interview, you would assess whether you have a chance of being successful with that national side and, if you do, is that a better challenge for me at this stage of my life?”read more

THE GAA have confirmed their master fixture schedule for 2020 with Donegal’s Allianz Football League Division 1 games announced.Donegal will entertain Mayo at Sean MacCumhaill Park on Saturday, January 25.The game is a repeat of the Super 8 meeting of the counties in Castlebar this year when Mayo sent Donegal crashing out of the All-Ireland race. Declan Bonner’s Donegal will have four home games with Tyrone to visit Ballybofey on Saturday March 14.Donegal will host Galway in Letterkenny on February 9 and Monaghan will be in Ballyshannon on March 1.Tir Chonaill supporters will be on their travels for games against Meath, Dublin and Kerry.The Masters Fixture schedule includes a number of changes to the GAA’s calendar, including a five-week ‘club window’ between the end of the Allianz League and the start of the Championships. Club Demi-finals and finals for the 2019/20 season will be played in January and pairing for phases two.2020 Allianz Football League Divison 1Saturday, January 25, 7.15pm Donegal v Mayo BallybofeySunday, February 2, 2.30pm Meath v Donegal NavanSunday, February 9, 2pm Donegal v Galway Letterkenny Saturday, February 22, 7pm Dublin v Donegal Croke ParkSunday, March 1, 2pm Donegal v Monaghan BallyshannonSaturday March 14, 7pm Donegal v Tyrone BallybofeySunday, March 22, 2pm Kerry v Donegal Tralee Donegal’s 2020 Division 1 games confirmed in GAA Master fixture list was last modified: November 26th, 2019 by Chris McNultyShare this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Tags:2020 Allianz LeagueDeclan BonnerMayoMichael Murphyread more

Some Democrats, however, are fuming that the appointment may be one more way in which Villaraigosa has politically ingratiated himself with the Republican governor. “The mayor’s the most popular Democrat in the state and with the campaign in the final month and Angelides needing his help, where is he? Out of the country for more than two weeks,” complained longtime Democratic activist Art Pulido of El Sereno, one of the Eastside communities in Villaraigosa’s former 14th Council District. “If there was ever a chance of rallying Latino voters in Los Angeles and California against Schwarzenegger and on behalf of Phil Angelides, it’s right now. Mayor Villaraigosa, as the state’s most popular Democrat and most popular Latino, is the man who should be doing that, and he’s in Asia. “He could have arranged that trade mission at any time. Why did he have to arrange it so that he’d be out of the state for more than two weeks in the final month of the governor’s race?” Villaraigosa said last week that the Asian trade mission – in which he and a delegation of civic and business representatives are touring China, South Korea and Japan – was in the planning stages for more than six months. The mayor had initially intended to make the trip in July but delayed it to deal with legislative demands involving his school-takeover bill. “Is it coincidental for (the mayor) not to be here? It certainly looks coincidental,” said former longtime Democratic consultant Randy Economy. “He doesn’t want to go down with the ship.” A spokesman for Villaraigosa said Thursday that when the mayor returns to Los Angeles on Oct. 22, he “plans to aggressively campaign” for Angelides. Angelides trails Schwarzenegger in the polls, and political strategists believe that the Democratic nominee’s only hope for victory is in getting an incredibly high turnout among predominantly Democratic Latino voters. Polls also indicate that Schwarzenegger’s support among Latinos is lower than the 31 percent of the vote he received during the 2003 recall election. The governor further alienated many Latinos last week with comments he made to reporters, saying Mexicans who immigrate to California may have an especially hard time assimilating because they “try to stay Mexican.” Democrats tried to jump on the comment. Said state party Chairman Art Torres: “Gov. Schwarzenegger has once again shown how out of touch he is with Californians. His comments were a calculated political insult to all immigrants.” But Villaraigosa, preparing for his Asian trade mission, did not make a statement, and The Associated Press reported that his office didn’t respond to requests for comment. Latino activist Bill Orozco, a former member of the county Democratic Party’s Central Committee, is another party loyalist who accused Villaraigosa of turning his back on Angelides for his own present and future political gain. Cut a deal? Villaraigosa has often been mentioned as a possible gubernatorial candidate in 2010, and his chances would improve if there is no Democratic incumbent. “I believe he cut a deal with Schwarzenegger to stay off the governor’s back during the campaign and that it involves his sister’s appointment, the school district bill and him being out of the country at a critical time in the campaign,” Orozco said. Villaraigosa endorsed Angelides early last month in joint appearances with San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom – another likely contender in the 2010 gubernatorial race – in both Los Angeles and San Francisco. But Villaraigosa’s endorsement came after a long summer when speculation arose over the coolness between the mayor and Angelides, the state’s treasurer who had refused to support the mayor’s legislative bill to take control of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Schwarzenegger, who during the summer was still struggling to re-establish his pre-eminency as the incumbent in the race, had endorsed Villaraigosa’s school-takeover bill and promised to sign it into law. When the governor signed the bill into law last month, the ceremony in Los Angeles took on the atmosphere of a political rally, with Villaraigosa and the governor celebrating triumphantly. “It’s definitely a rough time (in the campaign) for Antonio to be Antonio and for Phil to be Phil,” said political analyst Jaime Regalado, director of the Edmund G. “Pat” Brown Institute of Public Affairs at California State University, Los Angeles. “But it’s especially difficult for Phil, who is being criticized by others in the party … where you have (Democratic) candidates running for office and not invoking the name of the ticket. “He’s so far behind, you have many Democrats running for cover.” tony.castro@dailynews.com (818) 713-3761160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set! Did Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the Democrats’ rising political star, sell out Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides? Literally? Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s little-noticed appointment of Villaraigosa’s sister to a $149,160-a-year judgeship on the Los Angeles County Superior Court has some Democratic Party loyalists accusing the mayor of a familial financial gain in what they say is his failure to aggressively support Angelides. Mary Lou Villar, 52, the mayor’s younger sister, who goes by Villaraigosa’s original name, was appointed to the judgeship in April. Villar, a Democrat who resides in Alhambra, is a former legal-aid attorney who had worked for the past 15 years as an administrative law judge for the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. AD Quality Auto 360p 720p 1080p Top articles1/5READ MORESurfer attacked by shark near Channel Islands calls rescue a ‘Christmas miracle’The governor’s announcement made no mention of Villar’s relationship to Villaraigosa, who changed his surname – joining Villar with wife Corina’s maiden name, Raigosa – when they married in 1987. Villar’s appointment has received scant media coverage, possibly because of the difference in her surname and that of her brother. But talk of the appointment has been making the rounds in Democratic circles, where many rank and file still hold out hope that the popular mayor will join a final-weeks blitz on behalf of the Angelides campaign. Villar declined to comment. And a spokesman for the mayor said there is no connection between Villar’s judgeship and Villaraigosa’s role in the gubernatorial campaign. Dems fuming read more

AD Quality Auto 360p 720p 1080p Top articles1/5READ MORESurfer attacked by shark near Channel Islands calls rescue a ‘Christmas miracle’By next week, after meeting with principals, administrators and more, he hopes to have some of those issues identified. “If I hear the same thing over and over and over again, then a red light goes off,” he said. He won’t have time on his side – the school board hopes to hire a permanent superintendent for the Pasadena Unified School District by February. Although he only served four months, Taylor’s stint as interim superintendent for the Vista Unified School District earned lavish praise from his bosses there. “We thought he’d come in and be a spaceholder, but that’s not what he does. He didn’t just sit in that office,” said Carol Herrera, Vista’s school board president. “I was absolutely astounded by the amount of mobility that man had.” More than just stabilizing things, Herrera said Taylor, 75, introduced new programs, such as teacher assessment tools and a structured English-language immersion program. From money and morale to management, the PUSD’s challenges are not uncommon but have their own unique characteristics, Taylor said. Taylor replaces Superintendent Percy Clark, who was hired with much fanfare in 2001 and dumped by the school board under a cloud of controversy in May. Clark will continue to be paid until the expiration of his contract in July. Although Taylor was brought in early to effect a smooth transition, Clark is one person he has had little opportunity to talk with. “You don’t know what to expect what kind of cooperation you’re going to get,” Taylor said last week. “I’m the person in charge of myself – I do my own thing.” Several school board members expressed disappointment. “I was hoping for a more collaborative transition,” said school board member Ed Honowitz last week. Taylor was born in Little River, Kan., a small town he said revolved around its school activities. At a young age, while basketball and football captured the imagination of his peers, he knew teaching would be in his future. Taylor came west to California in 1942 with an older set of twin brothers bound for Pepperdine on basketball scholarships. He attended grade school in Redlands, went to Pepperdine College, Redlands University and ultimately earned a doctoral degree in education from USC. Pasadena is Taylor’s sixth interim position since retiring in 1998, and the ongoing school gigs afford him and his wife, Donna, who travels with him, an opportunity to sample different climes. Their permanent home is in Davis. Where Clark seemed preoccupied with perception, Taylor appears a pragmatist. Maybe its the decades of political experience or because he doesn’t need the job, but Taylor speaks without carefully crafting his message or qualifying his words. Taylor acknowledged the fact he can make tough – and potentially unpopular – decisions without the political calculations of someone who is going to be around for the long term. Addressing the PUSD’s financial needs and further trimming the budget will be one of his primary considerations, and Taylor acknowledges that could mean letting people go. “He did a lot of tough stuff,” Herrera said. todd.ruiz@sgvn.com (626) 578-6300, Ext. 4444160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set! Ask Darrel Taylor his strategy for the Pasadena schools, and he makes it sound easy. Listen to people, identify the issues and put a plan in place. “It’s not brain surgery,” he said. By Friday, Taylor’s second day on the job, he was well into phase one, having talked one-on-one with the likes of Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard, Ken Balder of the Altadena Town Council, Bethel Lira of the teachers union and every member of the Board of Education. read more

The median likely fell because more homes in lower price ranges sold last month, he said. Sales have remained in a relatively flat range since August. “Everything I’ve been reading, everything I’ve been hearing from Realtors suggests that the major shift in the local residential real estate market is over,” association President Steve White said. At the end of November, there were 6,092 properties listed for sale, up 47.1 percent from a year ago and a 5.9-month supply at the current sales pace. That’s down from a 7.1-month supply in October. The association considers a five- to six-month supply a balanced market. Pending escrows also indicate that the market is moderating. There were 1,037 escrows open at the end of last month, down 8.2 percent from a year ago and off 4.6 percent from October. White also said a few sellers are getting multiple offers on properties that are reasonably priced. “I talked to agents this week who were shocked to learn when they submitted an offer they had other buyers competing for the property,” he said. The condominium market also continued cooling last month as 284 of these properties changed owners, 21.3 percent fewer than a year ago. Sales did increase 14.1 percent from October. The median price fell an annual 0.6percent, to $391,000, and declined 4.6 percent from October. Total sales of houses and condominiums fell 22.2 percent, to 1,037 transactions, and the median price remained unchanged from a year ago at $550,000 and slipped 2.1 percent from August. “I think the message that is beginning to get to buyers is that if they can afford to wait and poke around, they can find somebody who really wants to move the house,” Blake said. greg.wilcox@dailynews.com (818) 713-3743160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set! AD Quality Auto 360p 720p 1080p Top articles1/5READ MORESurfer attacked by shark near Channel Islands calls rescue a ‘Christmas miracle’“Frankly, I thought it might have happened a few months ago. The market has found its level,” said Jim Link, the association’s executive vice president. Sales fell an annual 22.5 percent in November, to 753 transactions, the fewest for that month since 781 sales in 1995. They declined 2.3 percent from October. Sales have now fallen on a year-over-year basis every month since October 2005. That trend is expected to continue at least until the buying season starts in the spring, but prices should not waver much from their current level, experts say. “We expect it to wiggle around this number as long as the job market stays strong in the Valley,” Daniel Blake, director of the San Fernando Valley Economic Research Center at California State University, Northridge, said of prices. “I would look for some months up and some months down.” The median price of a San Fernando Valley home fell in November, ending a 116-month streak of consecutive year-over-year gains that sent prices soaring 283.9 percent, a trade association said Friday. Last month, the median price of a previously owned single-family Valley home slipped an annual 0.8 percent, or $5,000, to $595,000. The Van Nuys-based Southland Regional Association of Realtors said it is the first year-over-year price decline since the median fell 13.9percent, to $155,000, in February 1997. The run-up in home prices started a month later. November’s median fell 2.5 percent, or $15,000, from October, and it is 4.8 percent under June’s record of $625,000. read more